System and method for social recruiting

ABSTRACT

A system for social recruiting including an employment system server including a user database, where the user database includes a recruiter profile and a job seeker profile, and a recruiter network for the recruiter profile includes the recruiter profile associated with the job seeker profile.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority on the basis of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/446,813, filed on Feb. 25, 2011. The entiredisclosure of the provisional patent application is incorporated hereinby this reference.

BACKGROUND

Using standard job boards may be a slow and tedious way for a recruiterto fill job openings. The recruiter may need to sort through manyunqualified resumes in order to find good candidates. The recruiter mayalso have little control over who can see a job posting for a jobopening. This may limit the recruiter's ability to target job postingsto an appropriate audience, and result in the recruiter receiving agreater volume of unqualified resumes for the open position. The volumeof unqualified resumes may also increase with the number of job openingsthe recruiter is trying to fill. A recruiter trying to fill multiple jobopenings may find it daunting to process the number of resumes theyreceive.

A recruiter may use extant social networking sites to attempt to filljob openings. However, this may only be useful for very selectivehiring. Social networking sites were not intended for use by recruiters,and even basic information on candidates, such as contact details, maynot be readily available to a recruiter. The recruiter may expend toomuch time and effort when attempting to recruit using social networkingsites.

BRIEF SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and methodfor social recruiting.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a system forsocial recruiting includes an employment system server including a userdatabase, where the user database includes a recruiter profile and a jobseeker profile, and a recruiter network for the recruiter profileincludes the recruiter profile associated with the job seeker profile.

Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention areset forth in part in the description which follows, and in part willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of thefollowing or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectsand advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means ofthe instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary employment system for social recruiting;

FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary recruiter network for social recruiting;

FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary house network for social recruiting;

FIG. 4 depicts an exemplary recruiter network and exemplary housenetwork with overlapping members;

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary procedure for establishing and managing arecruiter network;

FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary procedure for joining a job seeker to anetwork;

FIG. 7 depicts an exemplary screenshot of a screen for establishing arecruiter network;

FIG. 8 depicts an exemplary screenshot of a screen for establishingcriteria for a recruiter network;

FIG. 9 depicts an exemplary screenshot of screen for displaying arequest to join a recruiter network;

FIG. 10 a depicts an exemplary referral request distributed through arecruiter network;

FIG. 10 b depicts an exemplary recruiter network expanded after areferral request;

FIG. 11 depicts an exemplary recruiter network with network slices;

FIG. 12 depicts an exemplary procedure for a referral request;

FIG. 13 depicts an exemplary screenshot of a screen for indicating thereceipt of a referral request;

FIG. 14 depicts an exemplary screenshot of a screen for responding to areferral request;

FIG. 15 depicts an exemplary screenshot of a screen for indicatingreceipt of a referral request as a result of a boost;

FIG. 16 depicts an exemplary screenshot of a screen for responding to aboost;

FIG. 17 depicts an exemplary screenshot of a response to an referralrequest from a boosted job seeker;

FIG. 18 depicts an exemplary procedure for receiving decisions on aresponse to a referral request; and

FIG. 19 depicts an exemplary screenshot of a screen for viewing a jobseeker who has responded to a referral request.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary employment system for social recruiting. Theemployment system may include an employment system server 101, and maybe accessible by job seekers 104 and recruiters 105 using a network suchas, for example, the Internet 106.

The employment system server 101 may be any suitable combination ofhardware and software for implementing an employment system, and mayinclude a user database 102 and a jobs database 103. The employmentsystem implemented on the employment system server 101 may allow therecruiters 105 to post job openings, and the job seekers 104 to view andapply for the job openings. The job seekers 104 may be any individualswho wish to use the employment system server 101 to find a job. Therecruiters 105 may be any individuals authorized to act on behalf of anemployer to use the employment system server 101 to fill job openingsfor the employer. For example, the recruiter 105 may be a member of aHuman Resources Department at a company. The job seekers 104 and therecruiters 105 may access the employment system server 101 through theInternet 106, using any suitable computing device, such as, for example,a personal computer or smartphone.

The employment system server 101 may include various features to assistthe recruiters 105 in posting and filling job openings, and the jobseekers 104 in finding and getting hired to fill job openings. Forexample, the employment system server 101 may provide assistance to thejob seekers 104 in writing resumes, and may store the resumes on theemployment system server 101. The employment system server 101 may also,for example, use any suitable manner, including automated algorithms, ofmatching the job seekers 104 to job openings. The employment systemserver may facilitate interaction between the job seekers 104 and therecruiters 105 in various ways, including, for example, allowing the jobseekers 104 and the recruiters 105 to send messages to one anotherwithin the employment system.

The user database 102 may be any suitable combination of hardware andsoftware for storing data pertaining to the users of the employmentsystem. For example, data about the job seekers 104 and the recruiters105 who access the employment system server 101 may be stored in theuser database 102. The data may be stored in the form of profiles, suchas, for example, job seeker profiles 203 for the job seekers 104 andrecruiter profiles 202 for the recruiters 105. The job seeker profile203 for the job seeker 104 may include, for example, contact informationand resume and reference data for the job seeker 104. The recruiterprofile 202 for the recruiter 105 may include, for example, contactinformation and company information for the recruiter 105. The jobseeker profile 203 and the recruiter profile 202 may also contain anyother relevant information concerning the interaction of the job seeker104 and the recruiter 105 with the employment system server 101. Whenaccessing the employment system server 101, the job seeker 104 maylog-in to the job seeker profile 203, and the recruiter 105 may log-into the recruiter profile 202. The data from the job seeker profile 203and the recruiter profile 202 may be displayed to the job seeker 104 andthe recruiter 105 when accessing the employment system server 101, andthe job seeker 104 and the recruiter 105 may interact with theemployment system server 101 through the job seeker profile 203 and therecruiter profile 202.

The jobs database 103 may be any suitable combination of hardware andsoftware for storing data pertaining to job openings posted to theemployment system by the recruiters 105. The recruiters 105 may post jobopenings to the employment system server 101. The job openings mayinclude information about the open job the recruiter 105 is looking tofill, including, for example, the type of job, the location of the job,the type of job seeker 104 the recruiter 105 is looking for to fill thejob, contact information for the recruiter 105 who posted the job,information about the company the recruiter 105 is posting the job onbehalf of, and so on. This information may be stored in the jobsdatabase 103. When a job seeker 104 uses the employment system server101 to look for a job, they may search through the jobs database toretrieve current job openings. The employment system server 101 may alsoattempt to match job seekers 104 from the user database 102 with jobopenings from the jobs database 103.

The employment system server 101 may support two types of networks,recruiter networks and house networks. FIG. 2 depicts an exemplaryrecruiter network for social recruiting. A recruiter 105 using theemployment system server 101 may establish a recruiter network 201. Therecruiter network 201 may be a network linked to the recruiter profile202 for the recruiter 105, and may associate the recruiter profile 202with the various job seeker profiles 203 for the job seekers 104.

The recruiter network 201 may be constructed through the job seekers 104requesting to join the recruiter network 201. When the job seekerprofile 203 for the job seeker 104 is associated with the recruiterprofile 202 for the recruiter 105, the job seeker 104 may be consideredto be in, or a member of, the recruiter network 201 for the recruiter105. The job seeker profiles 203 in the recruiter network 201 may not beassociated with each other, so that the job seeker 104 whose job seekerprofile 203 is in the recruiter network 201 cannot see the other jobseeker profiles 203 in the recruiter network 201. The job seeker 104 mayonly be able see which of the recruiter networks 201 that job seeker 104is in, and may not be able to tell which recruiter networks 201 anyother job seekers 104 are in.

Communication within the recruiter network 201 may be between therecruiter 105 and the job seekers 104. The recruiter 105 may use therecruiter profile 202 to send messages to any number of the job seekers104 through their job seeker profiles 203. The job seekers 104 may alsosend messages to the recruiter 105. Because the job seekers 104 cannotsee other job seeker profiles 203 in the recruiter network 201, the jobseekers 104 may not be able to communicate with one another through therecruiter network 201. The communications from the recruiter 105 may be,for example, in regard to job openings the recruiter 105 wishes to fill,or for pending network requests already submitted.

The recruiter 105 may use the employment system server 101 to indicatewhich types of job seekers 104 will be allowed to request to join therecruiter network 201, setting up a definition for the recruiter network201. For example, the recruiter 105 may set up criteria based onprofession, location, years of experience, desired salary levels, and soon. The criteria may also be a cross-product of individual criteria. Forexample, the recruiter 105 may indicate they want sales people inAtlanta and Boston, but software developers in San Diego and SanFrancisco. The definition of the recruiter network 201 may be altered atany time. Alterations may affect which of the job seekers 104 areallowed to request to join the recruiter network 201, and may not affectthe job seekers 104 who are already in the recruiter network 201.

Decisions on which of the jobs seekers 104 who request to join therecruiter network 201 will be allowed to join the recruiter network 201may be made by the recruiter 105 or other authorized user of therecruiter profile 202, or through auto-acceptance rules. Auto-acceptancerules may specify certain criteria that, if met by a job seeker 104 whoasks to join the recruiter network 201, will result in the job seeker104 being added to the recruiter network 201 automatically. Theemployment system server 101 may compare the job seeker profile 203 forthe job seeker 104 to the auto-acceptance rules to determine if the jobseeker 104 will be automatically added to the recruiter network 201.

The recruiter 105 may be able to manage the recruiter network 201 in anysuitable manner. For example, the recruiter 105 may be able to removejob seekers 104 from the recruiter network 201, disassociating jobseeker profiles 203 from the recruiter profile 202. The recruiter 105may be able to send out invitations to job seekers 104 to join therecruiter network 201.

The recruiter network 201 may be deleted, transferred to anotherrecruiter 105, or assigned a new recruiter 105 if the recruiter 105 forthe recruiter network 201 becomes no longer responsible for therecruiter network 201. For example, the recruiter 105 may take a jobwith a new employer. The recruiter 105 may be replaced by a newrecruiter 105, who may set up a new recruiter profile 202. The recruiterprofile 202 for the departing recruiter 105 may be replaced with the newrecruiter profile 202 for the new recruiter, resulting in the job seekerprofiles 203 being associated with the new recruiter profile 202. Therecruiter network 201 may also be transferred to a different recruiter105 who already has a recruiter profile 202. The job seeker profiles 203may be disassociated from the recruiter profile 202 for the departingrecruiter 105, and associated with the recruiter profile 202 for thedifferent recruiter 105, becoming part of the recruiter network 201 forthe different recruiter 105. The recruiter 105 may also delete therecruiter network 201, disassociating the job seeker profiles 203 fromthe recruiter profile 202, and not re-associating the job seekerprofiles 203 with any other recruiter profile 202.

FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary house network for social recruiting. A housenetwork 301 may be a network that does not involve a recruiter 105, andincludes no recruiter profiles 202. Instead of associating the jobseeker profiles 203 with the recruiter profile 202, in the house network301 the job seeker profiles 203 may be associated with the house network301 itself. The job seeker profiles 203 in the house network 301 may notbe associated with one another. The house network 301 may be set up withcriteria that determines who can join the house network 301. Thesecriteria may be set up by, for example, the operators of the employmentsystem server 101. A job seeker 104 may join any house network 301 forwhich they are qualified based on their job seeker profile 203.Acceptance to the house network 301 may be automatic for any requestingjob seeker 104 whose job seeker profile 203 meets the criteria for thehouse network 301.

For example, the house network 301 may be set up for IT professionals inAtlanta. If the job seeker 104 with the job seeker profile 203 thatindicates the job seeker 104 is an IT professional in Atlanta requeststo join the house network 301, the job seeker 104 may be automaticallyjoined to the house network 301. The job seeker profile 203 for the jobseeker 104 may be associated with the house network 301. If the jobseeker 104 with the job seeker profile 203 that indicates the job seeker104 is an IT professional in San Francisco, the job seeker 104 may notbe able to see the house network 301, and therefore may not be able torequest to join the house network 301, as the job seeker profile 203does not match the criteria for the house network 301.

The house networks 301 may be communicated with by the recruiters 105.For example, the recruiter 105 may need to fill a job opening that isnot well-matched by the job seeker profiles 203 in the recruiter network201 for the recruiter 105. For example, the recruiter network 201 forthe recruiter 105 may include job seekers 104 who are IT professionalsin San Francisco, but the recruiter 105 wishes to fill a job opening foran accounting professional in Atlanta The recruiter 105 may find thehouse network 301 with job seeker profiles 203 that are better matches,for example, a house network 301 for accounting professionals inAtlanta, and communicate with the job seekers 104 who are members of thehouse network 301 in attempting to fill the job opening.

FIG. 4 depicts an exemplary recruiter network and exemplary housenetwork with overlapping members. The job seeker 104 may join multiplenetworks, including both recruiter networks 201 and house networks 301.This may result in one job seeker profile 203 being associated withmultiple recruiter profiles 202 in multiple recruiter networks 201, aswell as with multiple house networks 301. The job seeker profile 203that is associated with more than one network may not connect thenetworks. For example, the job seeker profile 203 that is associatedwith the recruiter profile 202 in the recruiter network 201 and thehouse network 301 may not join the recruiter network 201 and the housenetwork 301. Communication from the recruiter 105 sent through therecruiter profile 202 to the job seekers 104 with the job seekerprofiles 203 in the recruiter network 201 may not also go to the jobseekers 104 with the job seeker profiles 203 in the house network 301,except for those job seeker profiles 203 that are associated with boththe recruiter network 201 and the house network 301. The recruiternetwork 201 and the house networks 301 may be kept separate despitehaving overlapping members.

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary procedure for establishing and managing arecruiter network. In block 501, the employment system server 101 mayreceive a description for the recruiter network 201. For example, therecruiter 105 may log-in to the employment system server 101 through therecruiter profile 202, and choose to set up the recruiter network 201.The recruiter profile 202 for the recruiter 105 may be associated withthe new recruiter network 105. The recruiter 105 may enter a descriptionfor the recruiter network 201, including, for example, a title for thenetwork, a description of the employer the recruiter 105 works for,descriptions of the types of jobs openings that will be filled throughthe recruiter network 201, and descriptions of the types of job seekers104 who will be allowed to join the recruiter network 201. Theemployment system server 101 may store the network description receivedfrom the recruiter 105 for the recruiter network. FIG. 7 depicts anexemplary screenshot of a screen for establishing a recruiter network.The employment system sever 101 may display a screen such as, forexample, the screen depicted in FIG. 7, to the recruiter 105 when therecruiter 105 is setting up the recruiter network 201. The recruiter 105may use the screen to enter the description of the recruiter network201.

In block 502, the employment system server 101 may receive criteria forthe recruiter network 201. The recruiter 105 may set up the variouscriteria that will be used to determine which of the job seekers 104will be allowed to request join the recruiter network 201. The recruiter105 may, for example, be presented with various preset criteria tochoose from in establishing the criteria for the recruiter network 201,such as, for example, a list of locations, a list of professions, arange of salary requirements, a range of years of experience, a list ofeducational and professional qualifications, and so on. Any othersuitable manner of receiving criteria input from the recruiter 105 maybe used, including, for example, receiving text input. The employmentsystem server 101 may store the criteria received from the recruiter 105for the recruiter network. FIG. 8 depicts an exemplary screenshot of ascreen for establishing criteria for a recruiter network. The employmentsystem sever 101 may display a screen such as, for example, the screendepicted in FIG. 8, to the recruiter 105 when the recruiter 105 issetting up criteria for the recruiter network 201. The recruiter 105 mayuse the screen to enter the criteria for the recruiter network 201, forexample, using drop down boxes, check boxes, sliders, or any othersuitable input controls.

The recruiter 105 may also set up auto-acceptance rules based on thecriteria. The auto-acceptance rules may allow for a request to join therecruiter network 201 from the job seeker 104 to be automaticallyapproved if the job seeker profile 203 for the job seeker 104 matchescertain criteria for the recruiter network 201. For example, therecruiter network 201 may have the criteria that only job seekers 104located in New York City or Boston may join the recruiter network. Anauto-acceptance rule may be set up to automatically accept any requestto join the network from a job seeker 104 with a job seeker profile 203that indicates the job seeker 104 is located in New York City.

In block 503, the employment system server 101 may receive requests fromthe job seekers 104 to join the recruiter network 201. As discussed inFIG. 6, the job seekers 104 may see they are eligible to request to jointhe recruiter network 201 through their job seeker profile 203. The jobseekers 104 may request to join the recruiter network 201, and therequest may be received by the employment system server 101.

In block 504, the employment system server 101 may determine ifauto-acceptance rules have been set up for the recruiter network 201. Ifauto-acceptance rules have been set up for the recruiter network 201,flow proceeds to block 505. Otherwise, flow proceeds to block 508.

In block 505, the employment system server 101 may determine if the jobseeker 104 matches any of the auto-acceptance rules for the recruiternetwork 201. The job seeker profile 203 for the requesting job seeker104 may be matched against the auto-acceptance rules for the recruiternetwork 201. For example, the job seeker 104 whose job seeker profile203 indicates the job seeker 104 is an IT professional in New York Citymay request to join the recruiter network 201. If the recruiter network201 has an auto-acceptance rule for IT professionals from New York,Boston, or Philadelphia, the job seeker profile 203 may match theauto-acceptance rule. If the recruiter network 201 has noauto-acceptance rule for IT professionals or job seekers 104 from NewYork, the job seeker profile 203 may not match any auto-acceptancerules. If the job seeker profile 203 matches an auto-acceptance rule forthe recruiter network 201, flow proceeds to block 506. Otherwise, flowproceeds to block 508.

In block 508, the employment system server 101 may display a request tojoin the recruiter network 201 to the recruiter 105. The recruiter 105may access the employment system server 101 through the recruiterprofile 202. Any requests to join the recruiter network 201 received bythe employment system server 101 from the job seekers 104 may bedisplayed to the recruiter 105. FIG. 9 depicts an exemplary screenshotof screen for displaying a request to join a recruiter network. Theemployment system server 101 may display a request to join the recruiternetwork 201 to the recruiter 105 using, for example, a screen asdepicted in FIG. 9. The job seeker profile 203 of the requesting jobseeker 104 may be displayed, along with input controls, such as, forexample, buttons, which the recruiter 105 may use to accept or ignorethe request. If there are requests from multiple job seekers 104, therequests may be displayed, for example, in a list format.

In block 509, the employment system server 101 may receive a decisionfrom the recruiter 105 on the request from the job seeker 104. Therecruiter 105 may input to the employment system server 101 a decisionon the request from the job seeker 104 to join the recruiter network 201using, for example, accept and ignore buttons as depicted in FIG. 9. Anyother suitable type of input control may also be used.

In block 510, the employment system server 101 may determine if thedecision from the recruiter 105 accepted the job seeker 104. If thedecision from the recruiter 105 accepts the job seeker 104, for example,the recruiter used the accept button as depicted in FIG. 9 to input adecision on the request from the job seeker 104, flow proceeds to block506. Otherwise, flow proceeds to block 507.

In block 506, the job seeker 104 may be added to the recruiter network201. If the job seeker profile 203 matched an auto-acceptance rule forthe recruiter network 201, as determined in block 505, or if therecruiter 105 decided to accept the job seeker 104 to the recruiternetwork 201, as determined in block 510, the job seeker 104 may be addedto the recruiter network 201. The job seeker profile 203 for the jobseeker 104 may be associated with the recruiter profile 202 for therecruiter 105, making the job seeker 104 a member of the recruiternetwork 201. The employment system server 101 may notify the job seeker104, through the job seeker profile 203, that the job seeker 104 hasbeen allowed to join the recruiter network 201.

In block 507, the employment system server 101 may remove the requestfrom the job seeker 104. If the job seeker profile 203 did not match anauto-acceptance rule, and the recruiter 105 decided to not accept thejob seeker 104, the job seeker 104 may not be joined to the recruiternetwork 201. The job seeker profile 203 may not be associated with therecruiter profile 202, and the request from the job seeker 104 may nolonger be displayed to the recruiter 105. No notification may be sent tothe job seeker 104, and there may be no indication in the job seekerprofile 203 that the job seeker 104 was not allowed to join therecruiter network 201.

FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary procedure for joining a job seeker to anetwork. In block 601, the employment system server 101 may displayavailable recruiter networks 201 to the job seeker 104 based on a jobsmatch list. The job seeker 104 may be eligible to join a recruiternetwork 201 for a recruiter 105 if the job seeker profile 203 for thejob seeker 104 has been matched to job openings posted by the recruiter105. The job openings may be stored in the jobs database 103. A jobsmatch list may be a list of the job openings to which the job seeker 104has been matched. The employment system server 101 may use any suitabletechnique or algorithm for matching the job seeker 104 to job openingsin the jobs database 103 based on the job seeker profile 203 for the jobseeker 104. If the employment system server 101 determines that a jobseeker 104 is a match for a job opening that was posted by the recruiter105, the job seeker 104 may be notified of the match and that the jobseeker 104 is eligible to join the recruiter network 201 for therecruiter 105. The recruiter 105 may be able to disable the ability torequest to join the recruiter network 201 based on matching a jobopening for specific job openings.

For example, when the job seeker 104 logs in to the employment systemserver 101 through the job seeker profile 203, the employment systemserver 101 may display the job match list, including job openings fromthe jobs database 103 that the job seeker 104 has been matched to by theemployment system server 101. The employment system server 101 maydisplay to the job seeker 104 the recruiter networks 201 that the jobseeker 104 is now eligible to join based on the job openings in the jobmatch list.

In block 602, the employment system server 101 may display availablerecruiter networks 201 to the job seeker 104 based on the job seekerprofile 203 matching criteria set by the recruiter 105 for the recruiternetwork 201. The employment system server 101 may determine if the jobseeker profile 203 for the job seeker 104 matches the criteria set forany recruiter networks 201. If the job seeker profile 203 matches thecriteria for a recruiter network 201, the job seeker 104 may be eligiblerequest to join the recruiter network 201. The recruiter networks 201the job seeker 104 may be eligible to join based on matching criteriamay displayed to the job seeker 104, for example, as a list.

When the recruiter network 201 is displayed to an eligible job seeker104, as in blocks 601 and 602, the identity of the recruiter 105 may behidden from the job seeker 104, for example, through the use ofpseudonyms. This may prevent the job seeker 104 from being able tocontact the recruiter 105 directly without first requesting to join andbeing accepted to the recruiter network 201 for the recruiter 105.

In block 603, the employment system server 101 may display availablehouse networks 301 to the job seeker 104. The job seeker 104 may beeligible to join a house network 301 if the job seeker profile 203 forthe job seeker 104 matches the criteria for the house network 301. Thehouse networks 301 which the job seeker 104 is eligible to join may bedisplayed to the job seeker 104.

In block 604, the employment system server 101 may receive a request tojoin a network from the job seeker 104. The job seeker 104 may selectfrom among the recruiter networks 201 and the house networks 301 the jobseeker 104 is eligible to join, for example, as displayed in blocks 601,601, and 603. The job seeker 104 may submit a request to join theselected recruiter network 201 or house network 301 to the employmentsystem server 101, using any suitable input control, such as, forexample, a request button.

In block 605, the employment system server 101 may determine if therequest received from the job seeker 104 is a request to join a housenetwork 301. If the job seeker 104 requested to join a house network301, flow proceeds to block 606. Otherwise, the job seeker 104 hasrequested to join a recruiter network 201, and flow proceeds to block607.

In block 607, the employment system server 101 may transmit the requestfrom the job seeker to join the recruiter network 201 to the recruiter105. As discussed above, the recruiter 105 may set-up the recruiternetwork 201, and may decide which job seekers 104 are allowed to jointhe recruiter network 201. When a job seeker 104 requests to join therecruiter network 201, that request may be transmitted to the recruiter105 for the recruiter network 201, so that the recruiter 105, orauto-acceptance rules for the recruiter network 201, may decide on therequest. For example, as discussed above, the job seeker profile 203 forthe requesting job seeker 104 may be placed on a list the employmentsystem server 101 may display to the recruiter 105.

In block 608, the employment system server 101 may receive a decisionfrom the recruiter 105 on the request from the job seeker 104. Asdiscussed above, the recruiter 105, or any auto-acceptance rules set upby the recruiter 105, may decide whether a job seeker 104 requesting tojoin the recruiter network 201 is allowed to join the recruiter network201. If the recruiter network 201 has auto-acceptance rules, thedecision may be automatic, as described above, without any additionalinput from the recruiter 105. If there are no auto-acceptance rules, orif the job seeker profile 203 for the job seeker 104 does not match anyof the auto-acceptance rules, the recruiter 105 may decide whether thejob seeker 104 is allowed to join the recruiter network 201, forexample, using accept or ignore buttons as depicted in FIG. 9 toindicate the decision to the employment system server 101.

In block 609, the employment system server 101 may determine whether thedecision accepts the job seeker 104. If the decision from the recruiter105, or the auto-acceptance rules, accepts the job seeker 104, flowproceeds to block 606. Otherwise, if the decision does not accept thejob seeker 104, flow proceeds to block 610.

In block 606, the employment system server 101 may add the job seeker104 to the network the job seeker 104 requested to join. For example, ifthe job seeker 104 requested to join the house network 301, the jobseeker 104 may be automatically joined to the house network 301. Becausethe job seeker 104 may only be able to request to join the house network301 when the job seeker 104 already meets the criteria for the housenetwork 301, based on the job seeker profile 203, the employment systemserver 101 may need to do no additional matching. If the job seeker 104did not meet the criteria for the house network 301, the job seeker 104would not be able to request to join the house network 301. When the jobseeker 104 is joined to the house network 301, the job seeker profile203 for the job seeker 104 may be associated with the house network 301.The house network 301 may appear to the job seeker 104 in a list ofnetworks the job seeker 104 is a member of.

If the job seeker 104 requested to join the recruiter network 201, andthe request was approved by the recruiter 105 or auto-acceptance rulesfor the recruiter network 201, the job seeker 104 may be joined to therecruiter network 201. The job seeker profile 203 for the job seeker 104may be associated with the recruiter profile 202 for the recruiter 105.The recruiter network 201 may appear to the job seeker 104 in a list ofnetworks the job seeker 104 is a member of.

The job seeker 104 may be able to leave any recruiter network 201 orhouse network 301 at any time. For example, the job seeker 104 may havethe option to delete a network from a list of networks the job seeker104 is a member of, disassociating the job seeker profile 203 from thehouse network 301 or the recruiter profile 202 of the recruiter network201.

The recruiter 105 may communicate with the job seekers 104 in therecruiter network 201 in order to fill job openings. The recruiter 105may send out a referral request, or request-for-boost (RFB), to the jobseekers 104 in the recruiter network 201, seeking referrals from the jobseekers 104 to fill a job opening. The job seekers 104 may respond tothe RFB by expressing interest in the job opening, or they may pass theRFB on to another job seeker 104 who is not in the recruiter network201, who the job seeker 104 may think is a good candidate to fill thejob opening in the RFB. The job seeker 104 may be referring, orboosting, the another job seeker 104 for the job opening. This may allowthe recruiter 105 to recruit job seekers 104 outside of the recruiternetwork 201, and to find new job seekers 104 to add to the recruiternetwork 201, expanding the recruiter network 201 without requiring therecruiter 105 to actively search for new job seekers 104. Instead thejob seekers 104 already in the recruiter network 201 may do thesearching for the recruiter 105 through boosting after receiving RFBs.

FIG. 10 a depicts an exemplary referral request distributed through arecruiter network. An RFB may be sent from the recruiter profile 202 tothe job seeker profiles 203 for the job seekers 104 in the recruiternetwork 201. One of the job seekers 104 may forward the RFB to a jobseeker 104 who is not in the recruiter network 201 who may be qualifiedfor the job opening. The job seeker 104 not in the recruiter network 201may or may not already have a job seeker profile 203 in the userdatabase 102 of the employment system server 101. If the job seeker 104not in the recruiter network 201 does not have a job seeker profile 203,the RFB may be sent to, for example, an email address external to theemployment system server 101. The retransmission of the RFB to the jobseeker 104 not in the recruiter network 201 may be a boost. The jobseeker 104 who sends the RFB may be recommending, or boosting, the jobseeker 104 not in the recruiter network 201 to the recruiter 105 for thejob opening described in the RFB.

FIG. 10 b depicts an exemplary recruiter network expanded after areferral request. Upon receiving the resending of the RFB, or boost, thejob seeker 104 not in the recruiter network 201 may request to join therecruiter network 201. The request may be decided on as describedpreviously, and if the job seeker 104 is allowed to join the recruiternetwork 201, the job seeker profile 1001 may be associated with therecruiter profile 202, joining the job seeker 104 to the recruiternetwork 201. The job seeker profile 1001 may already be in the userdatabase 102 of the employment system server 101, or may be created bythe job seeker 104 in conjunction with requesting to join the recruiternetwork 201.

When sending out an RFB, the recruiter 105 may want limit which of thejob seekers 104 in the recruiter network 201 actually receive the RFB.FIG. 11 depicts an exemplary recruiter network with network slices. Therecruiter 105 may divide the job seekers 104 in the recruiter network201 into slices, for example, slice 1101 and slice 1102. The recruiter105 may specify which of the job seeker profiles 203 in the recruiternetwork 201 go into which slice, and job seeker profiles 203 in a slicemay share common attributes. For example, the recruiter 105 may put allof the job seekers 104 who are located in Atlanta into the slice 1101,and all of the job seekers 104 who are IT professionals into the slice1102. The slices 1101 and 1102 may overlap. The recruiter 105 may sendout RFBs, or other communications, to the job seekers 104 only inparticular slices of the recruiter network 201.

FIG. 12 depicts an exemplary procedure for a referral request. In block1201, the employment system server 101 may receive information for anRFB from the recruiter 105. For example, the recruiter 105 may input tothe employment system server 101 information indicating the job openingthe RFB is looking to fill, the qualifications the recruiter 105 islooking for in applicants for the job opening, and so on. The RFB mayalso include a spiff, which may be an amount of money to be paid to ajob seeker 104 who refers, or boosts, another job seeker 104 who getshired to fill the job opening in the RFB and accepts. For example, if anRFB with a spiff of $500 is sent to a first job seeker 104, and thefirst job seeker 104 boosts a second job seeker 104 for the job opening,and the second job seeker 104 is offered and accepts the job to fill thejob opening, the first job seeker 104 may be paid the $500 spiff.

The job opening in the RFB may be a job opening already in the jobsdatabase 103, or may be a blind solicitation. If the job opening isalready in the jobs database 103, the recruiter 105 may generate the RFBby picking the job opening from a list of job openings in the jobsdatabase 103 associated with the recruiter profile 202 or the employerof the recruiter 105. If the job opening is a blind solicitation, therecruiter 105 may enter all the relevant information to the employmentsystem server 101 and the job opening may not be entered in the jobsdatabase 103. The employer and the recruiter 105 may be kept anonymousin the RFB.

In block 1202 the employment system server 101 may receive a selectionof networks and network slices. The recruiter 105 may choose to send theRFB to the recruiter network 201 or slices of the recruiter network 201and various house networks 301. The recruiter 105 may indicate theselection to the employment system server 101 using any suitable inputcontrols.

In block 1203, the employment system server 101 may transmit the RFB tothe selected networks and network slices. The employment system server101 may send the RFB to the job seekers 104 in the recruiter network 201or selected slices and the selected house networks 301. If a job seeker104 has a job seeker profile 203 associated with one of the selectedhouse networks 301, or with the recruiter profile 202 in the recruiternetwork 201 or in a selected slice of the recruiter network 201, the jobseeker 104 may receive the RFB.

In block 1204, the employment system server 101 may receive responses tothe RFB from the job seekers 104. The job seeker 104 may be notified ofthe RFB by, for example, an email sent to an account external to theemployment system server 101, or by a notice added to the job seekerprofile 203 that may be displayed to the job seeker 104 upon accessingthe employment system server 101. FIG. 13 depicts an exemplaryscreenshot of a screen for indicating the receipt of a referral request.The job seeker 104 may view the RFB, including information about the jobopening.

The job seeker 104 may respond to the RFB by indicating interest in theopening in the RFB, or by sending the RFB to another job seeker 104 whois not in the recruiter network 201. The job seeker 104 may also ignorethe RFB. FIG. 14 depicts an exemplary screenshot of a screen forresponding to a referral request. If the job seeker 104 is interested inthe job opening, the job seeker 104 may send a response to the recruiter105 indicating this interest, and the response may include, for example,a message to the recruiter 105 from the job seeker 104. If the jobseeker 104 wants to send the RFB to second job seeker 104 as a boost,thereby referring, or boosting, the second job seeker 104, the jobseeker 104 may use the employment system server 101 to forward the RFB.The job seeker 104 may enter contact information for the second jobseeker 104, and may add a message to the second job seeker 104. The jobseeker 104 may also choose to forward the RFB anonymously so that theidentity of the job seeker 104 is hidden from the second job seeker 104.

The second job seeker 104 may be notified of the boost by, for example,an email sent to an account external to the employment system server101. FIG. 15 depicts an exemplary screenshot of a screen for indicatingreceipt of a referral request as a result of a boost. The notificationof the boost may include the identity of the job seeker 104 who boostedthe job seeker 104, and information about the job opening from theoriginal RFB. The second job seeker 104 may respond to the boost byindicating interest in the job opening to the recruiter 105 or byrequesting to join the recruiter network 201, or both. FIG. 16 depictsan exemplary screenshot of a screen for responding to a boost. Thesecond job seeker 104 may access the employment system server 101, andmay set up a job seeker profile 203 if the job seeker 104 does notalready have a job seeker profile 203 in the user database 102.

In block 1205, the employment system server 101 may display theresponses to the recruiter 105. The recruiter 105 may view the responsesfrom all of the job seekers 104 who respond to the RFB, indicatingeither interest in the job opening or requesting to join the recruiternetwork 201. The employment system server 101 may display to therecruiter 105 the job seeker profiles 203 for the job seekers 104 whoresponded along with the nature of the response, and any message addedto the response. FIG. 17 depicts an exemplary screenshot of a responseto a referral request from a boosted job seeker.

FIG. 18 depicts an exemplary procedure for receiving decisions on aresponse to a referral request. In block 1801, the employment systemserver 101 may determine whether the job seeker 104 has expressedinterest in the job opening from the RFB, or has only requested to jointhe recruiter network 201. If the job seeker 104 has expressed interestin the job opening, flow proceeds to block 1802. Otherwise flow proceedsto block 1810.

In block 1802, the employment system server 101 may receive a decisionon the job seeker 104. The recruiter 105 may input into the employmentsystem server 101 a decision on whether or not the job seeker 104 whoexpressed interest in the job opening will be hired to fill the jobopening. The recruiter 105 may perform any necessary steps to make ahiring decision, including, for example, viewing the job seeker profile203 for the job seeker 104, requesting additional information from thejob seeker 104, arranging for interviews with the job seeker 104,contacting references for the job seeker 104, and negotiating with thejob seeker 104. The recruiter 105 may undertake hiring decision stepsfor multiple job seekers 104 before inputting a hiring decision into theemployment system server 101. FIG. 19 depicts an exemplary screenshot ofa screen for viewing a job seeker who has responded to a referralrequest.

The recruiter 105 may also invite the job seeker 104 to join therecruiter network 201 if the job seeker 104 expressed interest in thejob opening but did not request to join the recruiter network 201. Therecruiter 105 may make the invitation regardless of whether or not therecruiter 105 hires the job seeker 104 for the job opening.

In block 1803, the employment system server 101 may determine whetherthe decision indicates that the job seeker 104 was hired or not. If thedecision, for example, from the recruiter 105, hires the job seeker 104to fill the job opening, flow proceeds to block 1804. Otherwise, flowproceeds to block 1810.

In block 1804, the employment system server 101 may transmit anotification to the job seeker 104 that the job seeker 104 has beenhired to fill the job opening. The job seeker 104 may be notified of thehiring by, for example, an email sent to an account external to theemployment system server 101, by a message sent to the job seeker 104through the job seeker profile 203, or by any other suitable form ofcommunication. Alternatively, the notification of the job seeker 104 maytake place outside of the employment system server 101. For example, therecruiter 105 may directly call the job seeker 104, or send thenotification to the job seeker 104 in the mail.

In block 1805, the employment system server 101 may receive a decisionon accepting the job to fill the job opening made by the job seeker 104.The decision may be input to the employment system server 101 by the jobseeker 104, or may be input by the recruiter 105. For example, the jobseeker 104 may use any suitable input control, for example, an inputcontrol in a notification email, to indicate whether they accept the jobor not. As another example, the job seeker 104 may notify the recruiter105 that they accept the job directly, for example, by phone, and therecruiter 105 may then input this decision into the employment systemserver 101.

In block 1806, the employment system server 101 may determine whetherthe decision from the job seeker 104 accepts the job. If the job seeker104 accepts the job, flow proceeds to block 1807. Otherwise, flowproceeds to block 1810.

In block 1807, the employment system server 101 may determine whetherthe job seeker 104 was referred, or boosted, for the job opening, andwhether there is a spiff available for the RFB the job seeker 104responded to. If the job seeker 104 was referred, and a spiff isavailable, flow proceeds to block 1808. Otherwise, flow proceeds toblock 1809.

In block 1808, the spiff payment may be transmitted to the referring jobseeker 104. The employment system server 101 may transmit the payment ofthe spiff, or may notify the recruiter 105 or other party responsiblefor the job opening to transmit payment to the referring job seeker 104.For example, if the job seeker 104 who accepted the job to fill the jobopening was referred, or boosted, the job seeker 104 responsible for theboost may be the referring job seeker 104, and may be owed a spiffpayment. Payment may be transmitted using, for example, contact detailsin the job seeker profile 203 for the job seeker 104, or in any othersuitable manner.

In block 1809, the employment system server 101 may mark the job openingfor which the job seeker 104 was hired as filled. The employment systemserver 101 may mark the job opening in the jobs database 103 as filled,or may alternatively remove the job opening from the jobs database 103.

In block 1810, the employment system server 101 may determine if the jobseeker 104 has requested to join the recruiter network 201. If the jobseeker 104 has requested to join the recruiter network 201, flowproceeds to block 1811. Otherwise flow proceeds to block 1814.

In block 1811, the employment system server 101 may receive a decisionon the request from the job seeker 104. The decision may be made byauto-acceptance rules for the recruiter network 201 or by the recruiter105, as discussed previously.

In block 1812, the employment system server 101 may determine if thedecision accepts the job seeker 104. If the decision accepts the jobseeker 104, flow proceeds to block 1813. Otherwise, flow proceeds toblock 1814.

In block 1813, the job seeker 104 may be joined to the recruiter network201. If the job seeker 104 received a boost or received the RFB as partof the house network 301, then the job seeker 104 may not have been partof the recruiter network 201. The job seeker profile 203 for the jobseeker 104 may be associated with the recruiter profile 202, joining thejob seeker 104 to the recruiter network 201.

In block 1814, the employment system server 101 may remove the requestfrom the job seeker 104. The request from the job seeker 204 may nolonger be displayed to the recruiter 105, as previously discussed.

As used herein, a “computer” or “computer system” may be, for exampleand without limitation, either alone or in combination, a personalcomputer (PC), server-based computer, main frame, server, microcomputer,minicomputer, laptop, personal data assistant (PDA), cellular phone,pager, processor, including wireless and/or wire line varieties thereof,and/or any other computerized device capable of configuration forreceiving, storing and/or processing data for standalone applicationand/or over a networked medium or media. Examples of communication mediathat can be employed include, without limitation, wireless datanetworks, wire line networks, and/or a variety of networked media.

Computers and computer systems described herein may include operativelyassociated computer-readable media such as memory for storing softwareapplications used in obtaining, processing, storing and/or communicatingdata. It can be appreciated that such memory can be internal, external,remote or local with respect to its operatively associated computer orcomputer system. Memory may also include any means for storing softwareor other instructions including, for example and without limitation, ahard disk, an optical disk, floppy disk, DVD, compact disc, memorystick, ROM (read only memory), RAM (random access memory), PROM(programmable ROM), EEPROM (extended erasable PROM), and/or other likecomputer-readable media.

In general, computer-readable media may include any medium capable ofbeing a carrier for an electronic signal representative of data stored,communicated or processed in accordance with embodiments of the presentinvention. Where applicable, method steps described herein may beembodied or executed as instructions stored on a computer-readablemedium or media.

It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the presentinvention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevantfor a clear understanding of the present invention, while eliminating,for purposes of clarity, other elements. Those of ordinary skill in theart will recognize, however, that these and other elements may bedesirable. However, because such elements are well known in the art, andbecause they do not facilitate a better understanding of the presentinvention, a discussion of such elements is not provided herein. Itshould be appreciated that the figures are presented for illustrativepurposes and not as construction drawings. Omitted details andmodifications or alternative embodiments are within the purview ofpersons of ordinary skill in the art.

It can be appreciated that, in certain aspects of the present invention,a single component may be replaced by multiple components, and multiplecomponents may be replaced by a single component, to provide an elementor structure or to perform a given function or functions. Except wheresuch substitution would not be operative to practice certain embodimentsof the present invention, such substitution is considered within thescope of the present invention.

The examples presented herein are intended to illustrate potential andspecific implementations of the present invention. It can be appreciatedthat the examples are intended primarily for purposes of illustration ofthe invention for those skilled in the art. The diagrams depicted hereinare provided by way of example. There may be variations to thesediagrams or the operations described herein without departing from thespirit of the invention. For instance, in certain cases, method steps oroperations may be performed or executed in differing order, oroperations may be added, deleted or modified.

Furthermore, whereas particular embodiments of the invention have beendescribed herein for the purpose of illustrating the invention and notfor the purpose of limiting the same, it will be appreciated by those ofordinary skill in the art that numerous variations of the details,materials and arrangement of elements, steps, structures, and/or partsmay be made within the principle and scope of the invention withoutdeparting from the invention as described in the following claims.

1-14. (canceled)
 15. A method for social recruiting comprising:displaying a list of recruiter networks a job seeker profile is eligibleto join; receiving a request to associate the job seeker profile with arecruiter profile for a recruiter network the job seeker profile iseligible to join; receiving a decision on the request; and if thedecision accepts the request, associating the recruiter profile with thejob seeker profile, and if the decision does not accept the request,discarding the request.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the decisionis made according to at least one auto-acceptance rule.
 17. The methodof claim 15, wherein the decision is made by an authorized user of therecruiter profile.
 18. The method of claim 15, wherein the job seekerprofile is eligible to join a recruiter network when the job seekerprofile is matched to a job associated with the recruiter profile forthe recruiter network or when the job seeker profile matches criteriafor the recruiter network.
 19. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising: displaying a list of house networks a job seeker profile iseligible to join; receiving a request to associate the job seekerprofile with a house network the job seeker profile is eligible to join;and associating the job seeker profile with the house network.
 20. Themethod of claim 18, wherein the job seeker profile is eligible to join ahouse network when the job seeker profile matches criteria for the housenetwork.
 21. The method of claim 18, wherein the request to associatethe job seeker profile with a house network or the request to associatethe job seeker profile with a recruiter network is made through the jobseeker profile by a job seeker.
 22. A method of social recruitingcomprising: receiving a broadcast message through a recruiter profile;receiving a selection of at least one recruiter network or sliceassociated with the recruiter profile or house network; and transmittingthe broadcast message to all job seekers associated with the selected atleast one recruiter network or slice or house network.
 23. A method ofsocial recruiting comprising: receiving a referral request associatedwith a job through a recruiter profile; receiving a selection of atleast one recruiter network or slice associated with the recruiterprofile or house network; and transmitting the referral request to alljob seekers associated with the selected at least one recruiter networkor slice or house network.
 24. The method of claim 23, furthercomprising: receiving a response through a job seeker profile to thereferral request, displaying the response; determining if the responserequests consideration for the job or requests to join a recruiternetwork for the recruiter; and if the response requests considerationfor the job, receiving a decision on hiring a job seeker associated withthe job seeker profile for the job, or if the response requests to jointhe recruiter network for the recruiter, receiving a decision onassociating the job seeker profile with the recruiter profile.
 25. Themethod of claim 24, further comprising: if the response requestsconsideration for the job and the job seeker profile is not associatedwith the recruiter network, determining which job seeker profiletransmitted the referral request to the job seeker profile requestingconsideration for the job.
 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the jobseeker profile which transmitted the referral request to the job seekerprofile requesting consideration for the job receives a spiff.
 27. Amethod for social recruiting comprising: receiving a request toassociate a job seeker profile with a recruiter network the job seekerprofile; and associating the job seeker profile with a recruiter profilefor the recruiter network.
 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the jobseeker profile is eligible to join a recruiter network when the jobseeker profile is matched to a job associated with the recruiter profilefor the recruiter network, when the job seeker profile matches criteriafor the recruiter network, or when the job seeker profile receives aboost for a job opening associated with the recruiter profile.
 29. Themethod of claim 27, further comprising: receiving a request to associatethe job seeker profile with a house network the job seeker profile iseligible to join; and associating the job seeker profile with the housenetwork.
 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the job seeker profile iseligible to join a house network when the job seeker profile matchescriteria for the house network.
 31. A method of social networkingcomprising: receiving a referral request associated with a job through arecruiter profile; receiving a selection of at least one recruiternetwork or slice associated with the recruiter profile or house network;and transmitting the referral request to all job seekers associated withthe at least one network or slice or house network.
 32. The method ofclaim 31 further comprising: receiving a response through a job seekerprofile to the referral request, wherein the response requestsconsideration for the job; and receiving a decision hiring a job seekerassociated with the job seeker profile for the job.
 33. The method ofclaim 31, further comprising: receiving a response through a job seekerprofile to the referral request, wherein the response requests to jointhe recruiter network; and associating the job seeker profile with therecruiter profile.
 34. The method of claim 32, wherein the job seekerprofile is not associated with the recruiter network and receivedreferral request through a referring job seeker profile.
 35. The methodof claim 34, wherein the referring job seeker profile is eligible forreceive a spiff associated with the referral request.